iPhone Problems Maybe AT&T's or Apple's Fault

[Ddeere2]

A few weeks ago, a Wall Street analyst raised a ruckus by claiming the iPhone contained a faulty chip from Infineon, which was causing 3G connectivity problems he claimed wouldn't be firmware upgradeable. Last week however, researchers in Sweden conducted tests showing that the iPhone's reception was just fine. Obviously, users impacted by the problems wanted more definitive data, so they offered their troubled phones for testing, and again the researchers found no physical hardware defect. Assuming these latest results are accurate, that means the problems being experienced by some iPhone users are either caused by AT&T's network, or by Apple's software.

iPhone Glitches May Be AT&T's Problem After All... - New tests indicate that the hardware itself is performing just fine.... - dslreports.com

I guess this squashed all the talk about it being a hardware issue. I think its what I read, on here or another site, that the settings Apple uses in the firmware might be good for one network but not another. I would think they would have different firmware's or updates for certain networks.

[bobolito]

Like I have said before, most of the talk is product of hysteria and paranoia. Other phones have had much worse problems and you don't hear nearly as much chatter because they are not as popular. The few that do have a problem are probably being affected by network problems (dropped calls, slow speeds). Whatever problems the iPhone has in general are probably just visual (less bars even though reception is the same), or software related (switching to EDGE when it shouldn't).

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by Ddeere2

A few weeks ago, a Wall Street analyst raised a ruckus by claiming the iPhone contained a faulty chip from Infineon, which was causing 3G connectivity problems he claimed wouldn't be firmware upgradeable. Last week however, researchers in Sweden conducted tests showing that the iPhone's reception was just fine. Obviously, users impacted by the problems wanted more definitive data, so they offered their troubled phones for testing, and again the researchers found no physical hardware defect. Assuming these latest results are accurate, that means the problems being experienced by some iPhone users are either caused by AT&T's network, or by Apple's software.

iPhone Glitches May Be AT&T's Problem After All... - New tests indicate that the hardware itself is performing just fine.... - dslreports.com

I guess this squashed all the talk about it being a hardware issue. I think its what I read, on here or another site, that the settings Apple uses in the firmware might be good for one network but not another. I would think they would have different firmware's or updates for certain networks.

The only problem I see with this is the problem isn't just here in the US, it's happening in other countries so to me it's an iPhone issue. If I remember the article your talking about it did mention Europe having the same complaints, as for the chip that's 1 possibility the other is as bobolito pointed out "visual" perceptions of seeing Edge vs 3G or could be a software issue.
Who know's Apple may never say the real reason even when they figure it out & fix it.

[bobolito]

To put it in simple terms, to me the problem is both Apple and the networks. Let me explain:

- It is Apple's fault because firmware still has bugs and some iPhones are coming out defective.
- It is the networks fault because 3G has inadequate backbone support and not enough bandwidth. In the US, AT&T is specially to blame because its 3G network is still years behind where it should be. Being the first carrier in the world to deploy HSDPA, I wonder how they got so far behind the rest of the world?

[Fire14]

Originally Posted by bobolito

To put it in simple terms, to me the problem is both Apple and the networks. Let me explain:

- It is Apple's fault because firmware still has bugs and some iPhones are coming out defective.
- It is the networks fault because 3G has inadequate backbone support and not enough bandwidth. In the US, AT&T is specially to blame because its 3G network is still years behind where it should be. Being the first carrier in the world to deploy HSDPA, I wonder how they got so far behind the rest of the world?

I believe you are right on this, especially with AT&T's 3G being new & incomplete in alot of area's. I know where I am staying in Pittstown & my old home in Union do not have 3G coverage yet, but when I get closer to the Interstates then it's not a problem, but even then I have noticed going online it will switch to Edge at times.

Guess the best answer to your last question is they made some bad decisions & with all the mergers got themselves too caught up on that vs their network, I remember last year discussions about them putting upgrades & new towers on hold for months after they merged into the new AT&T.

Maybe with Verizon buying Alltel & jumping back into the #1 spot may shake some things up & get them off their "Best Coverage of any carrier" because of their International roaming abilities & focus on better 3G & coverage here. I still couldn't believe I had no coverage in the Pocono's with them 6 months ago & still don't, where it's solid with Verizon.
Here in NJ though I still see them almost equal on coverage.

[bobolito]

Let's rewind the tape a bit:

2001: AT&T Wireless begins GSM rollout.
2002: Cingular Wireless begins GSM rollout.
2005: AT&T/Cingular finish GSM networks.

So essentially, it took them 4 years to do a 100% massive conversion.

2003: AT&T Wireless begins UMTS rollout.
2005: Cingular becomes the first carrier in the world to employ HSDPA technology.
2008: 5 years after initial rollout, AT&T still doesn't have 50% of its geographical coverage area on 3G.

If we project that over the years, and we assume the same deployment speed is continued, we're looking at a 3G completion of at least 2013! Just in time for LTE.

So going back, even with a merger underway, Cingular/AT&T managed to finish deployment of GSM in due time. I think the TDMA to GSM transition was of equal or more complexity than the transition from GSM to 3G. Anyone correct me on this. And network integration was largely finished about 2 years ago. What's the hold up? Other carriers around the world have finished their 3G networks quicker, so it is not a matter of equipment availability. And yes, AT&T network in the US might be larger than Rogers in Canada or other carriers in Europe, but AT&T engineering and technician teams are also larger so there's really no excuse. This sounds to me more like an issue with the lovely "bottomline" which they want to beat Verizon at.